Today we’re taking a look at three new bags — two messenger-style bags and a backpack with a security feature I’ve never seen before.

ECBC Poseidon Messenger K7

This bag is a winner, but it’s not without a flaw (at least to me).

I really like the look of the Poseidon. It’s in a black Kodra material with a water-repellant coating and water resistant YYK zippers.

It has a traditional messenger style with a large flap on the front covering a large opening with pockets and dividers inside.

The Poseidon ($99.99, www.ec-bc.com) has plenty of individual pockets — 17 in my unofficial count. Some of the more handy pockets are for water bottles on the sides and a large one on the outside of the flap for airplane tickets and your cellphone.

There is also a dedicated iPad pocket. The shoulder strap is padded and there is a briefcase-type handle on top, which I love.

The bag is designed for 11-inch to 13-inch laptops. I was able to shoehorn my 15-inch MacBook Pro into the bag, but it was obviously not meant for a laptop that big.

The flap is secured by two plastic seatbelt-type latches and two 6-inch strips of Velcro.

It’s the Velcro I could do without.

The length and width of the Velcro cause a really loud ripping sound when opening the bag. It would be impossible to silently access the bag in a classroom or quiet office environment. Not a big deal, to be sure, but I cringed every time I had to open the bag. The buckles do a good job. I don’t think the Velcro is necessary, although it does keep the flap tightly closed.

Annoyances aside, the Poseidon is a bag I could carry every day.

Pros: Great looks, tons of pockets, nice handles.

Cons: That Velcro rip is really loud.

Bottom Line: With a tweak or two, I could carry this bag.

iSafe Urban Crew Campus Backpack

This is a backpack aimed at the college crowd.

The Urban Crew ($80.99, www.amazon.com) has loads of pockets. The exterior pockets have an elastic pull on each zipper. I counted 10 zippers and pulls on the front of the Urban Crew. Pockets are good, but all those elastic pulls get a little crowded. There are also straps and plastic clip closures on each side, which help with stability if the backpack is full I suppose, but I’m not sure they’re necessary.

One last nitpick is the Urban Crew logo, which is large and embroidered in white on the black bag. It’s not something the business crowd is going to like.

One feature that I’ve never seen before is an alarm with a strobe light. Hidden under one of the backpacks shoulder straps is a small ripcord that when pulled, sounds a piercingly loud alarm and flashing light.

If a person wearing this bag was accosted, setting off the alarm could be a terrific deterrent.

I suppose one could also fashion an extended ripcord to attach to a chair or table leg that would sound the alarm if the bag was snatched.

The backpack would be perfect for a college or high school student. It has plenty of pockets, along with nicely padded backpack shoulder straps and a padded handle on top. I had no trouble fitting a 15-inch laptop inside.

One last thing, the Urban Crew is heavy. It weighs 3 pounds, which includes the alarm, battery, lights and speakers.

Pros: Tons of pockets. Very handy alarm and LED lights.

Cons: Busy look with zippers and large white logo. Heavy.

Bottom Line: Students will love this one.

Booq Mamba Courier 15

You can always count on Booq to make a quality bag that looks different from any other bag.

The Booq Mamba Courier 15 ($109.95, www.booq.com) is a bag of simple design and high quality that’s aimed at business users.

Of the bags reviewed today, the Mamba has the fewest pockets (11), and the clean design makes it seem like fewer.

It’s designed for 15-inch laptops.

The flap closes with two metal hooks that take two hands to open or close. They’re great looking but a bit tedious.

The outer fabric is sturdy and almost looks like the fabric of a men’s suit.

One feature I’m not a fan of is the interior. Open the flap and instead of an opening, you have to unzip the top of the bag. Accessing the interior compartment through the zipper is inconvenient. You really have to set this bag down to get into it.

The interior zipper helps keep items secure, but I’m not sold on the design.

The Mamba is a great looking bag, but I found it tiring to use after a day.

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